The present invention relates to a portable image processing device and more particularly relates to a portable image processing device which incorporates therein a compact printer and/or a compact scanner and which is compatible with mobile computing.
Conventionally, it is well known that peripheral computer equipment such as printers and scanners that are housed in a single container as image processing devices have remained relatively unchanged. These devices have both printing and capturing functions and are also capable of copying. Similarly, conventional FAX devices that are one kind of image processing device and which also have a copying function are common.
In conventional image processing devices equipped with printers and scanners, image reading drive mechanisms and printing drive mechanisms are provided separately in order to combine the copying functions.
That is, a roller and mechanism dedicated to feeding a manuscript and a manuscript feed motor etc. are provided. Further, a paper feed rollers and mechanism together with a paper feed motor etc. are also provided as mechanisms for feeding paper to be printed.
In the case of such a structure, when a manuscript is loaded, the dedicated manuscript feed mechanism operates to start reading the manuscript and the dedicated paper feed mechanism operates and starts printing after a slight time lag so that a copying operation is executed almost simultaneously.
A large amount of electrical power is required by the device of the above configuration because the manuscript feed mechanism and the paper feed mechanism start to operate almost simultaneously. This means that batteries of a large capacity are required for this configuration to be put to portable use so that this is an inappropriate configuration for a portable image processing device.
The problem here, however, is not just one of power consumption. As two systems for independent feed mechanisms are provided in this configuration, the number of parts increases and the device becomes heavy which both makes portability difficult and causes device cost to rise.
It is also difficult to connect this device with external information equipment such as personal computers which brings few benefits with regards to use.
In addition to the above problem of unsuitability to mobile computing, the conventional mechanism has, despite its heavily equipped structure, had the disadvantage that the reading of the front and reverse sides of one sheet of manuscript or the printing of the front and reverse sides of one sheet of paper cannot be achieved with just one time loading (one pass) but rather two time loadings (two passes) where the upper surface of the paper is reversed and loaded into the device again have to be carried out.
As the present invention sets out to resolve the problems encountered in the related art, it is the object of the present invention to provide a low cost portable image processing device equipped with a copying function that can easily be connected with external information equipment, can read the front and reverse of a manuscript or print on the front and reverse of paper with just one loading of the paper (one pass), which is lightweight, and which is compatible with mobile computing.